1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a noncontact levitation-type transport system operable to convey both materials such as mined coal and personnel and in a corridor, more particularly, to such a transport system which incorporates a scheme for controlling the lateral position of the transport system's material or personnel transport container during container movement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many years the standard material transport system in underground coal mining utilized to move mined coal between locations has been the conveyor belt. Although conveyor belts are the most cost-effective of current haulage methods, they are well-known to introduce numerous safety hazards into the mining operation. The primary hazard is that of inadvertent worker contact with an operating belt which results in worker injury and in some instances a fatality. Conveyor belt systems may also contribute to the amount of respirable dust to which miners are exposed and have been found to cause mine fires as a result of overheated conveyor belt system rollers or belt friction points. As is apparent, the costs associated with the resultant injuries and fatalities caused by conveyor belt system safety hazards have an adverse affect on both the overall cost of coal production and on employee confidence in the equipment they use on a daily basis.
Another conventional approach to transporting mined coal is the track-bound wheeled transport system which utilizes a motive power-generating engine and rail cars for holding mined coal. This wheeled conveyance system also has shortcomings since all the components are subject to wear and maintenance problems. It has been suggested that a known magnetically levitated transport system using electromagnets in the engine and cars be utilized to transport coal as a replacement to both conveyor belt systems and conventional track systems. However, some of these magnetic levitation systems also rely at least initially on a conventional track and wheel arrangement and must achieve a critical minimum velocity before repulsive levitation is achieved. At speeds below this velocity, for example during acceleration or braking, some known magnetic levitation systems are also wheel and track-bound and are thus subject to the energy consumption and wear and maintenance disabilities of an ordinary train haulage system.
It is apparent from the foregoing that although conventional conveyor belt systems and track bound wheeled transport systems presently utilized to transport coal are adequate, neither of these systems is without their shortcomings. In addition, none of the presently known magnetic levitation systems appear to be a satisfactory replacement to the presently utilized coal transport systems. Consequently, there is generally a need for a new and improved system for transporting coal or other mined materials which minimizes the safety hazards and component wear and maintenance problems associated with these presently known and utilized systems. This new and improved system, free of the shortcomings of known material transport systems, should also be capable of being expanded to the larger field of general transportation.
The novel transport system should take the form of a magnetic levitation system including a material or personnel container movable along some form of track or "transit corridor" in order to avoid the wear and maintenance problems associated with prior art transport systems. If a new magnetic levitation system is provided, it should include some form of control scheme operable to control the lateral position of the material or personnel container within the transit corridor during container movement through the transit corridor.